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01 June, 2016

1 June 1300: Birth of Thomas of Brotherton, Earl of Norfolk

Today marks the 716th anniversary of the birth of Edward II's half-brother Thomas of Brotherton, whom Edward made earl of Norfolk in late 1312 when Thomas was twelve. He was the eldest child of King Edward I and his second queen Marguerite of France, and was born one week short of nine months after their wedding on 8 September 1299. Evidently he was a little early and unexpected, and was born at a manor of the archbishop of York. Thomas was followed only fourteen months later by his brother Edmund of Woodstock, later earl of Kent, born on 5 August 1301.

I'm afraid that Thomas of Brotherton is a perpetual blaaaaahhhhh in my mind, and I really don't have much to say about him that I haven't said before (see here). Sorry, Thomas. I'm sure you were lovely and all that, but just thinking about you makes me eyes glaze over. His daughter and heir Margaret, countess and later duchess of Norfolk in her own right, is a far more interesting personality, and lived until 24 March 1399 when she must have been at least in her mid-seventies. She was the last surviving grandchild of Edward I, and outlived the second last survivor, Margaret Courtenay née de Bohun, countess of Devon, by more than seven years. She also outlived her children and several of her grandchildren, including John Hastings, earl of Pembroke, killed jousting at Christmas 1389. Margaret of Norfolk's elder daughter and co-heir Elizabeth Segrave married John, Lord Mowbray, which is how the dukedom of Norfolk belonged to the Mowbrays for most of the fifteenth century. (Three John Mowbrays, dukes of Norfolk, one after the other. Not confusing at all.) The Mowbray line died out when Anne Mowbray, who had been briefly married to Edward IV's second son Richard, died as a child in 1481. The dukedom of Norfolk then passed to the Howards, because Elizabeth Segrave's granddaughter Margaret Mowbray married Robert Howard and was the mother of John Howard, killed fighting for Richard III at Bosworth. Thomas of Brotherton was the six greats grandfather of Anne Boleyn and Katherine Howard via that Howard connection, and he was the great-grandfather of Thomas Mowbray, earl of Nottingham and duke of Norfolk, who was briefly his grandmother Margaret's heir but outlived her by less than six months and died in Venice, having been perpetually exiled from England by Richard II on 19 October 1398. His son John Mowbray, born in 1392, married Katherine Neville at the beginning of 1412. Remarkably, Katherine lived long enough to attend her nephew Richard III's coronation in 1483, and outlived her great-granddaughter Anne Mowbray.

Edward's titles, 1312

Edward, par la grace de DIEU, Roi d’Engleterre, seignur d’Irlaunde, ducs d’Aquitaine, & conte de Pontif & de Monstroil
[Edward, by the grace of GOD, King of England, Lord of Ireland, Duke of Aquitaine, and Count of Ponthieu and Montreuil]

Edward II's coronation oath: translation

Sire, will you grant and keep and by your oath confirm to the people of England the laws and customs given to them by the previous just and god-fearing kings, your ancestors, and especially the laws, customs, and liberties granted to the clergy and people by the glorious king, the sainted Edward, your predecessor?
I grant and promise them.
Sire, will you in all your judgments, so far as in you lies, preserve to God and Holy Church, and to the people and clergy, entire peace and concord before God?
I will preserve them.
Sire, will you, so far as in you lies, cause justice to be rendered rightly, impartially, and wisely, in compassion and in truth?
I will do so.
Sire, do you grant to be held and observed the just laws and customs that the community of your realm shall determine, and will you, so far as in you lies, defend and strengthen them to the honour of God?
I grant and promise them.

Penny of Edward II's reign

Tomb of Edward II

Amouncement of the birth of Edward III, November 1312

Isabella, by the grace of God, Queen of England, Lady of Ireland, and Duchess of Aquitaine, to our well-beloved the Mayor and aldermen and the commonalty of London, greeting. Forasmuch as we believe that you would willingly hear good tidings of us, we do make known to you that our Lord, of His grace, has delivered us of a son, on the 13th day of November, with safety to ourselves, and to the child. May our Lord preserve you.

Berkeley Castle, scene of Edward II's imprisonment

Letter of Queen Isabella to Edward II, 1314

My very dear and dread Lord, I commend myself to you as humbly as I can. My dear Lord, you have heard how our seneschal and our controller of Ponthieu have come from Ponthieu concerning our affairs; ...I beg you, my gentle Lord, that by this message it may please you to request your chancellor by letter that he may summon those of your council to him and take steps speedily in this matter, according to what he and your council see what is best to do for your honour and profit....May the Holy Spirit keep you, my very dear and dread Lord.

The Vita Edwardi Secundi on Edward II and Piers Gaveston

I do not remember to have heard that one man so loved another. Jonathan cherished David, Achilles loved Patroclus. But we do not read that they were immoderate. Our King, however, was incapable of moderate favour, and on account of Piers was said to forget himself, and so Piers was accounted a sorcerer.